Improvement in fiber-cleaning machines



2Sheets--Sheet. S.`T. LAMB. Fiber-Cleaning Machinvary. No. 140,050. y Patenredlunewnss.

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S. T. LAM-B. Fiber-Cleaning Machinery. N0. 140,050. Patentedjune17,87r3.

UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFF SALEM T. LAMB, orr BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIBER-CLEANING MACHINES.

Specication forming part ofLetters Patent No.1.,40,050, dated June 17, 1873 application led March 24, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SALEM T. LAMB, of Boston, Suffolk county, Massachusetts, have 4invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fiber-Cleaning Machinery, of which the following is a specification:

These improvements` are `based upon a class of machines for cleaning the bers of various plants from the pulpy ileshy body of the same in which they are enveloped, in which the following elementary features are embodied: First, apair of flutedor lon gitudinally-corrugated rollers for bruising or crushing the plant and freeing the bers to a certain extent 5 secondly, one ormorerevolving sera-pers, operating in connection with an elastic bed placedbelow them, for scraping from the bers the viscid pulpy-niatter which incloses them; and, thirdly, in one ,or more pairs of elastic draft-rollers for drawing forward the mass of bers as they emerge from the crushl ing-rollers, the whole being supported within a suitable frame, and operated by proper mechamsm.

A notable instance of the class of machinery upon which my improvements are based is seen in Letters Patent of the United' States numd bered 126,337, and issued on Vthe 30th day of `April, 1872, t0 William B. Shedd.

The improvements herein explained consist, rst, in the employment, in combination with one or both of the crushing-rolls, of a re? volving scraper or doctor;7 so arranged as to press against the periphery of such roll, and being attached to an adjustable table in such manner as to adapt itself to the movements of the latter, as hereinafter explained, the purpose of this doctor being to prevent the adhesion to and collection about the circumference of the roll of bers or other substances which would otherwise waste the material and invalidate the working of the` machine to its full capacity. Secondly, these improvements will be found to consist in a peculiar formation of the rotary scrapingroll, by producing it of a hollow cylinder, whose walls are pierced with a series of attenuated holes, or onev otherwise made permeable or reticulated, in order that a Sprayer shower of water may be discharged upon the mass of bers passing between the scraperv and its bed, the force-with which this shower or` spray is precipitated upon the bers depending upon the extent of centrifugal force generated by the revolution of the cylinder, the purpose of the water being to soften and dissolve the gummy matters and juices expressed from or otherwise adhering to the bers, lubricate the passage of the latter through the machine, and maintain a low temperature of the `scraping or cleaning roll and its knives, which would otherwise oftentimes become nnduly heated. Fourthly, these improvements consist in so disposing the scraping or cleaning roll and draft-rolls of the machine in immediate proximityto each other, in order that, while each performs the functions originally required of it, the knives or Scrapers of the former act upon the periphery of the latter, and constitute revolving doctors, to prevent the bers from winding about and accumulating upon the same, which, but for this, or its equivalent, would ensue, and result in great waste and Iloss of material, and clog and retard the operationsof the machine, while the lower draftroller serves in such position to seize and introduce between the two any stray ber which might incline to fall into the n aste passage provided for the escape of the debris or fleshy, gummy, or viscid matt-ers resulting from the separation of the fibers and pulp of the plantor material to be cleaned. Fifthly, these improvements consist in the employment of an auxiliary or additional hollow roll or drum provided with peripheral vanes or wings of India rubber or other suitable material, and situated immediately adjacent to the draft-rollers, or so closely thereto, that the wings wipe at each revolution against the periphery of the upper roller, the results of this construction of the hollow shaft, and the relation of the two being that any stray ber which might cling or stick to the-periphery of the upper draft-roll will be detached therefrom, the ber issuing from between the two draft-rollers will be aided in its advance by the rotation of the vanes impinging upon it, and the nal cleaning of the ber greatly facilitated, the body of the roll being foraminous or reticulated, and water being supplied to the interior in order to act upon and soften any solvent, gummy, orgelatinous matters or impuritiesadhering to the bers at this time,

and thus assist the last-named revolving roll or scraper in entirely cleaning the fibers. The `roll or drum is preferably applied in such manner as to enable its position to be varied with respect to the draft-roll, to equalize or compensate for any wear that may result.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent in Figure 1 a side elevation; in Fig. 2, a vertical central and longitudinal section 5 in Fig. 3, a plan; and in Fig. 4, an end elevation of a machine embodying my improvements. j

In these drawings, A represents the frame ofthe machine, composed of a horizontal table, a, formed with a central aperture or well, b, two side-rails, c c, bounding the table a, and two side standards, d d, united by suitable cross bars or rods. B B represent two rolls scored with longitudinal corrugations, placed one over the other, with their peripheries in contact or meshing into one another, by which they rotate together, these rolls being disposed in the front part of the aperture b, and their journals being supported in suitable boxes applied to the side rails c c. To the journal ofthe lower crushing-roller B is affixed a spur-gear, C, which meshes into a pinion, D, affixed in turn to the rear end of' a horizontal driving shaft, E, such shaft being disposed below the said crushing-rolls, and supported in boxes afxed to the end standards of the machine-frame. The drivingshaft E carries a pinion, F, which engages a spur-gearG, fixed upon the journal of a horizontal roller, H, the two journals of such roller being supported in boxes applied to the side rails c c, before named, while above the roller H, and resting or bearing upon it, or nearly so, is a second and like-sized roller, H', such two rollers being composed of or covered with India rubber or other suitable elastic or semi-elastic substance. These rollers should be applied adjustably to the machine-frame. These two lastnamed rolls constitute the draft rolls, and are designed to seize and draw forward the mass of mangled leaf and ber,whichhas been subjected to the action of the crushing-rollers, and of' the scraper, to be hereinafter explained. Between the upper crushing-roller B and upper draft-roller H' is disposed the scraping or cleaning roll I, this latter roll having journals which rotate in boxes upheld by the rails c c, and being provided with a number of longitudinal peripheral blades, e, which rotate immediately above a yielding bed or bar, J, disposed transverse ly of the machine-frame and between its end standards, such bed being supported in position by a journal, L, projecting f'rom each end, which extends into a bearing in the adjacent end standard d, the bed, by this means, being susceptible of vertical play toward and away f'rom the cleaning-roller and its blades. To the forward upper corner of' the bed J, I hinge or pivot a thin plate, f, which bears against the periphery of the under crushing-roll B', and serves, as before stated, to prevent adhesion and collection about such periphery of fibers or other portions of the Vpla-nt or material being operated upon. The bed J is forced upward closely to or in contact with the blades of the roll I, by means of a forked lever, K, which is supported upon a horizontal rod or fulcrum, L, mounted within the end standards of the machine-frame, the inner end or arms of such pressure-lever bearing against the under side of the bar J, while the outer end of the lever is depressed by the stress of a spring, g, which is interposed between it and the table a, the arrangement of' the whole being shown in Fig. 2 of' the accompanying drawings.

The upper surface of the bed J should be a segment of a circle struck from near the axis of the rotary scraper I as a center, and this concave surface should be covered with ligaum-nt, Babbitt metal, bone, or other hard or semi-elastic substance, which will maintain a polished surface under wear and the action of' the plants or leaves treated by it.

The roll I is, as before stated, hollow, and its walls pierced with numerous minute holes, and Water is to be admitted to the interior of this roll from any proper means of supply, or with any degree of pressure which practice may determine best, such water being discharged in aspray or light shower upon the mangled plants orxmaterials below. This machine is designed to strip and prepare for the market fibers of the plants belonging to the order of exogens, such as ramie or China grass, hemp, jute, &e., as well equally fibers of the plants belonging to'the order of' endogens-such as the Agate Americana, plantain, penguin, bromelia, sylvestris, or other plants the fibers of' which will repay such trouble; and in thus operating upon various plants or materials I have found that a small quantity of water judiciously applied at the right stage of treatment has a very beneficial effect in softening or dissolving the gummy, viscid, and pulpy portions of the plants, and assisting very materially in separating them from the fibers which they envelop. A large amount of water which will deluge the plants, and the machine as well, is not desirable or effectual; but it should be administered in small quantities, in gentle showers or sprays, which will dissolve but not beat the plant or material.

It has heretofore been found that the plants or materials are not in the best condition to be treated-that is to say, are often partially dry before being subjected to the action of the machine, and the use of water, therefore, as a solvent under these conditions is a very valuable adjunct to the machine, and, in fact, in many instances almost a necessity. I have therefore incorporated in the machine herein illustrated improved means of discharging water upon the materials or fiber at various points in its progress through the machine.

In advance of the crushingrollers B B I place transversely to the table a a hollow foraminous showering pipe or cylinder, h, into Athe upper draft-roller H', and about on a level therewith, the journals of such rollers revolving in boxes applied to the rails c c, while its periphery is armed with a series of radial vanes or wings, i i, &c., composed of India rubber or other suitable material, while the body of the roll is pierced with a series of small orifices, through which water in a tine shower will fall upon the mass of liber below, and, as before stated, aid Very materially in softening the gummy eshy matter which may adhere tothe bers, and allow the latter to leave the machine in a clean state, free from all impurities or objectionable substances. The rollers H' and N, are, placed so closely together that the bladest' of the latter wipe against the periphery of the former, with results before stated, while the lower roller, H, serves to seize and return to the action of the two any stray fibers which would otherwise be wasted. In rear of the roll N I place a horizontal bar, O, which spans the table a, and is situated in close proximity to or in contact with the edges of the blades t as they revolve, the purpose of this scraper, as before stated, being to free or clean the blades from any ber, 0r pulpy, or gummy matter which inclines to adhere to them.

The rolls or drums I and N are revolved by an endless band or cord, k, which passes partially about them, and also about a large drum or pulley, P, affixed to the front journal of the driving-shaft E, and between the pinion F and standard d, the said drums being by this means driven at a much higher rate of speed than the rolls B B' and H H', as this has been found to be desirable. Upon each end of the lower crushing-roll B', and closely up to each journal, I mount a thin collar, l, which enters a corresponding annular channel, m, created in the upper roll, the collars and channels thus arranged serving to properly guide the leaves, and prevent any portion thereof from getting access to and clogging the journals of the said rolls B and B'. B in the accompanying drawings represents a hood or shield, placed over the rotary scraper or drum I, the purpose of such hood being, as before stated, to intercept and deflect upon the plants or leaves such quantities of water as would otherwise be thrown o by the centrifugal force of the revolving drum and wasted. This hood may be placed over one or both the drums I and N, or over other portions of the machine.

I have contemplated attaching a pipe to the machine at some convenient point to discharge a blast of air upon the refuse portion of the plants or the debris resulting from the separationV of the bers, this pipe to communicate with a blowing-engine suitably situated. The best locality for the discharge of air will undoubtedly be within the hood which covers a portion of the machine.

I claim- 1. In machinery for cleaning fibers, a rotary scraper-drum or hollow cylinder, having reticulated or foraminous walls to permit the escape of water introduced into said drum from a suitable source and under suitable pressure, substantially as and for the purposes shown and set forth.

2. In combination with the crushing-rollers and draft-rollers, the intermediate foraminous rotary scraper-drum for discharging water upon the material passing through the machine, and for operating upon the material passing between it and the bed below, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the draft-rolls H H' and bed a ofthe rotary cylinder N with blades c', under the arrangement as shown and set forth.

4. The combination, with the crushing-rollers, the intermediate foran'xinous rotary scraper-drum, and the draft-rollers, of the perforated drum N with arms or blades c', the said drums being designed to discharge water upon the material, and to operate substantially as shown and set forth.

5. The combination, with draft-rollers H H', bed a, and perforated drum N having arms or blades t', of the doctor or scraper O, substantially as hereinshown and described.

6. In machinery for cleaning bers, the combination, with crushing-rolls and draft-rolls, of an intermediate perforated rotary scraperdrum discharging water upon the material between the two sets of rolls and operating upon the said material, as described, and a water-pipe placed in advance of the crushingrolls to discharge water upon the material as it enters the machine, substantially as shown and set forth.

SALEM T. LAMB.

Witnesses: F. Gnarls,

W. E. BOARDMAN. 

